


chopped tomatoes (and other declarations of love)

by eliternat (mirkandmidnight)



Series: Tumblr Prompts! [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Restaurant, First Meetings, Gen, Romance, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 13:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7619653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirkandmidnight/pseuds/eliternat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If the way Poe's day starts is any indication, he's in for a hell of a ride.</p><p>(Food Cart AU featuring: Grumpy Pastry Chef Kylo Ren, Knife Wielding Rey, Actual Puppy Finn, and Others.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	chopped tomatoes (and other declarations of love)

It starts as most good days do, with a high speed car chase. Food truck chase. Whatever. The pint is, Poe's minding his own business setting up shop across from First Order (the sketchy comfort food cart crewed by tall, scary assholes) when he hears yelling coming from the back of their cart, followed by a crash.

Poe turns away from his tomatoes and peers out the back door of his truck. A moment later, a guy covered in coffee grounds tears out of there like a bat out of hell, a blonde woman following him with a murderous expression on her face.

Coffee Guy spots his truck and makes a beeline for it, jumping into the back and slamming the door behind him. He's about two inches from Poe, screaming “Drive!” and all Poe can think is that he's either about to die or have a really awesome morning. 

He climbs into the cab and drives out of there, while Coffee Guy whoops in the back. He's never felt more exhilarated in his life.

He's also going about 35 miles per hour.

It's fine.

They pull over in the parking lot of a gas station a few blocks away from Poe's afternoon spot. He turns around in his seat and looks at Coffee Guy, who's grinning madly.

“Hey, thanks, man! You were great back there.”

Poe raises his eyebrows. “Do you maybe wanna explain why I was just your getaway driver?”

The other guy's face falls. “Oh. Um, about that. See, I used to work for First Order, and I just quit today. Which I guess my boss wasn't so happy about.”

He frowns. “That bites. I'm Poe Dameron, by the way. This is my food truck.”

“Finn,” he replies. “Hey, thanks again for your help. I shouldn't keep you from your work; I'm sure you've got a lot to get done.”

An idea strikes him, and a slow smile spreads across his face. He's been complaining to Snap and Jessika for a while now about needing someone else to do prep work for him on the truck, and here's this guy, fresh out of a job and with experience. “Actually, I do,” he says, and watches Finn's face fall a little further. “In fact,” he continues, “I've got so much to do that I could use an extra pair of hands. Wanna help?”

Finn's answering grin is electric. “Do you know, I think I'd like that.”

That's how it starts.

Six weeks later, they're setting up shop outside of Jakku Park when a truck screeches to a halt in the spot next to them. A second later, a glossy black food truck passes, the driver peering out the window to glare at the first truck. The black one, Dark Side Desserts, idles for a moment before continuing down the street.

Poe glances around. Odd. Most of the people in the food cart community don't like Dark Side and its volatile owner, but he's never actually seen evidence of whatever weird blood feud is going on there.

He sets down the paring knife and hops out. Finn follows, and together they approach the unknown food truck.

“Yo!” He raps on the back door and nearly gets clocked in the face when it flies open.

The woman on the other side is very short and very angry. She's brandishing a kitchen knife and her hair is coming loose from her signature three buns.

“What?” she snarls, then catches sight of Poe. “Oh, hey. Where've you been? Haven't seen you in a while. Sorry, I thought you were that asshole, Ren. He keeps hanging around, trying to teach me French pastry.” She shrugs. “It's annoying, but he's not a totally bad guy.”

This is Rey Niima, one of Poe's favorite people to caravan with. Her truck, Jakku Java, does pastries and various coffee drinks in the morning, and specialty baked potatoes in the afternoon.

“You want me to go punch him for you?” he asks.

Rey raises her eyebrows. “If that's what I wanted, I could do it myself.” She pauses. “Who's your friend?”

Right. He turns back to Finn, whose ears are red. Huh. That's weird.

“Buddy?” he prompts, but Finn doesn't say a word. “This is Fin. I picked him up from Phasma's crew a while back.”

She winces. Phasma has something of a reputation. She's not the owner of First Order, but she's kind of terrifying, barking orders and serving up delicious comfort food in the same breath. Her mac and cheese is supposed to be legendary.

“Mind if I caravan with you guys?” she asks.

Poe nudges Finn, who still has a starstruck expression plastered all over his face. 

“That'd be cool,” he finally answered, and Rey nods.

“Awesome. Yell if you need any change, okay?”

He elbows Finn in the gut as soon as she's gone. “You like her,” he accuses, able to keep the manic grin off his face.

“Do not,” Finn mutters.

Poe just laughs.


End file.
